Title
Amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Service and Other Businesses," by adding a new Section 9-614, entitled "Advanced Recovery Fee (Green Fee) for disposable shopping bags," to establish an advanced recovery fee (a green fee) for disposable shopping bags, all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
Section 1. Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
CHAPTER 9-600. SERVICE AND OTHER BUSINESSES.
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ยง 9-614. [Reserved.] Advanced Recovery Fee (Green Fee) for disposable shopping bags.
(1) Purpose.
The purpose of the Green Fee established by this Ordinance is to regulate the generation of waste from disposable shopping bags by creating an economic incentive for customers to use reusable shopping bags. To further promote the use of reusable shopping bags and reduce the quantity of disposable shopping bags entering the City's waste stream, the Director of Sustainability is authorized to make available to the public free-of-charge reusable shopping bags to the extent the Director determines that such a program will significantly reduce the costs associated with the recycling and disposal of disposable shopping bags.
(2) Definitions.
(a) "Advanced Recovery Fee" or "Green Fee" means a charge or regulatory fee levied against the distribution, purchase, or use of a product in order to discourage its use, thereby reducing its presence in the waste stream and its ancillary environmental impacts, and to recover costs associated with the recycling or disposal of the product.
(b) "Compostable Plastic Bag" means a plastic bag that is certified and labeled as meeting the current ASTM Standard by a recognized verification entity such as the Biodegradable Product Institute.
(c) "Convenience stores" means all retail stores falling under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 445120 (convenience stores...
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